1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a picture-in-picture (PIP) control method and apparatus therefor, and more particularly, to a PIP control method and apparatus for a video television system (TVCR) which can selectively control an operation of a video cassette recorder (VCR) according to a PIP control. The present application is based upon Korean Application No. 96-52979, which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
A general PIP system simultaneously displays a parent picture on an entire screen and a child picture, having a size smaller than that of the parent picture, on a predetermined position of the parent picture. Video equipment adopting such a PIP system includes at least two tuners. One tuner receives a TV broadcasting signal to be displayed as a parent picture, and the other tuner receives a TV broadcasting signal to be displayed as a child picture.
A general video television system (TVCR), which integrally incorporates a television set with a video cassette recorder (VCR), includes a single tuner and a VCR. Thus, when adopting the above described PIP system, the TVCR displays a TV broadcasting signal received via the tuner as a parent picture and a playback signal output from the VCR as a child picture. Alternatively, a playback signal output from the VCR is displayed as the parent picture and a TV broadcasting signal received via the tuner is displayed as the child picture.
In the TVCR having such a PIP function, when a TV broadcasting signal received via the tuner is displayed as a parent picture and a playback signal output from the VCR is displayed as a child picture, if the PIP mode is turned off, only the child picture disappears, and the VCR continues to operate. As a result, a separate key manipulation is required in order to stop a playback operation of the VCR, thereby causing an inconvenience to users.